


The Awesome Foursome Take London

by Genie60



Series: Poldark Series 4-Bits and Pieces [3]
Category: Poldark (TV 2015), Poldark - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon, F/M, Flirting, Jealousy, Marriage, Poldark S4 AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-05
Updated: 2018-01-05
Packaged: 2019-02-28 14:08:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13273062
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Genie60/pseuds/Genie60
Summary: Demelza's visit to London and Ross's dealing with her coming out.





	The Awesome Foursome Take London

**Author's Note:**

> From a conversation on FB about Ross and Caroline and the anticipated scene between them in S4 from The Angry Tide. A what if of how that friendship developed.
> 
> This is absolute and pure fluff written while the conversation was still going on. So errors, omissions, nonsense are all mine.

Ross and Dwight stood outside the ballroom, nursing their drinks and watching the parade of nobility and politicians walk past. 

“What is taking them so long?” Ross asked, draining his glass and taking another from a passing tray.

“Relax Ross, the party has just started. You haven’t missed a chance to rub elbows with George yet,” Dwight quipped.

“Thank you for the reminder, Dwight.  I’m nervous enough about Demelza being here, you didn’t need to add that,” Ross said.

“Why on earth are you worried about Demelza?  She seems to be having a fine time in London and has adapted well,” Dwight said.

Ross looked at his friend and smiled. He was right. Demelza was in her glory the past few days, taking the city and him by storm. Not only had she slipped seamlessly into London society, charming everyone she met, more importantly, they had reignited their feelings for each other.  Every day and night saw them recapturing the relationship they had in their first days of marriage; one that was full of companionship, comfort, and love.  All the wounds of the past were finally on their way to being truly healed with the shadows of others evaporating.  Ross thought about the hours before this party when he and Demelza took their time rousing from a well-earned rest because they needed just one more touch, one more kiss, one more joining.  He tried to hide the smirk appearing on his face by taking a sip of his brandy when he felt a hand on his back.

“Are we terribly late?”

He turned around to see his wife, her face glowing.  Demelza Poldark stood in front of him looking every inch the picture of a society matron and wife of a member of parliament.  She put every other woman to shame, including the fourth member of their group, Caroline Enys.  Looking at the redhead who started her life with him as an urchin, Ross wondered how he ever thought she could be replaced in his heart or mind.  During his early days in London, he tried to ease the pain of her encounter with Armitage by entertaining high-class ladies of the evening, only to push them out as soon as he realized they would never replace his wife.  It didn’t matter what she had done, he loved her just as he hoped she still loved him. Thankfully, this trip proved both those sentiments to be true.

“Demelza,” he started to say. “You’re beautiful.”

His wife squeezed his arm, grateful that the primping and preening that Caroline put her through had the desired effect. She was worried that it was too much or that Ross wouldn’t like her choice of dress.

“Thank you, Ross.  You don’t think it’s too much?” she asked quietly.

He held her at arm’s length so that he could take her in fully.  Her ginger mane, usually wild and curled was tied up with pins that glistened from the multicolored jewels that encrusted them. A large ostrich feather graced her head as well, adding an air of playfulness to her look. Ross’s eyes then traveled down her body. Now he was able to see her figure. And from the style of the dress, so would everyone else.  It was bad enough when Demelza wore her everyday dresses without a fischu, allowing her bosom to be on display for all to see. But this gown was something else.  It was made of a diaphanous material that left little to the imagination.  The pale blue color was deceptively clever in tricking one to believe there was more to it that it seemed.

“Demelza? What are you wearing?” he asked.

For a moment she was taken back ten years to when he asked her that once before.  That night he was full of rage which quickly transferred itself into passion.  Tonight, however, the last thing Demelza wanted was a repeat of that.

“Ross, what’s the matter? Don’t you like it? Caroline said it was the fashion and I couldn’t get anything else,” she said, her voice becoming agitated as she continued to speak.  “I’ll change if you want.”

That last statement appeared to be an afterthought; Demelza now seconded guessed herself in putting herself in Caroline’s care.  She was about to go back to their rooms to put on something else when her friend and the mastermind of this came towards her.

“Ross, doesn’t Demelza look splendid?  As soon as I saw the dress I knew it was made for her,” Caroline said cheerfully.  She took her friend by the hand and spun her around.

Ross was about to speak when Caroline led Demelza to Dwight.

“Dwight, don’t you think Demelza looks wonderful?” she prompted.

“Yes my love, she does,” Dwight said, looking from his wife to his friend and back to his friends’ wife.

“There, you see,” she said to Demelza. “I told you to trust me.”

Demelza gave her a weak smile, still unsure about this whole thing since Ross’s hesitancy at her appearance.

“Caroline, maybe this is too much.  I think I should change into something less…”

The blonde’s eyes widened in shock; she was not going to hear the rest of that sentence.

“Nonsense! You simply cannot put on some homespun frock for a night like this. Now, I’ll not hear any more of this.  Dwight, take Demelza to get some refreshment while I have a chat with Ross,” Caroline said, pushing her friend and husband towards the other room. 

Holding out his arm, Dwight took a reluctant Demelza into the dining room as ordered.  He looked over his shoulder at the remaining pair as he walked Demelza away.  He could tell she was uncomfortable and so whispered to her, “Caroline always has the best intentions. She just forgets that others might need some persuading to her way of thinking.  Besides, you know she has a way with Ross.”

Demelza turned to Dwight and gave him a smile while glancing back at her husband.  She hoped that whatever Caroline said would lighten Ross’s mood and allow them to continue with their London holiday.

“Ross, what are you doing?” Caroline asked him.

A footman passed by with a tray of glasses filled with various libations. Ross reached out and took one for himself, then handed another to Caroline.

“Perhaps the question should be, what are you doing Caroline?”

The petite blonde gazed up at Ross with a sly smile, taking delicate sips of her port.  They stood staring at each other in silence, each waiting for the other to speak.   Caroline moved away from the entrance to the ballroom and went to the French doors at the end of the corridor. They led out to a small balcony where she stepped out to get some air.

“I think you owe Demelza an apology,” she said as he joined her.

“I? What?” Ross sputtered.

“An apology.  I know that is a strange concept for you but your wife needs your approval tonight.  Although with the way she looks, I imagine she will be diverted by every man in the room.”

“And that is the point. Caroline, she is practically naked.  How did you get Demelza to put on something like that?” Ross asked.

He was truly dumbstruck that his wife, the mother of his children, would allow herself to be dressed in something that was almost as immodest as her nightshift.

“You make it sound like I have some magic powers. Did you ever think that Demelza wanted to dress like that? “

Ross looked at his friend and digested what she was saying.  He still couldn’t believe Demelza would acquiesce to changing herself just to fit in.

“I believe that husbands forget that their wives are women as well. Or at least we were thought of as such before children, work, and life overshadows that fact. Ross, Demelza wanted to be that woman again. After all the two of you have gone through in the last few years, are you surprised she would want to do something  to make you look at her…well…the way you look at me?”

Caroline’s face turned serious, hoping her words would be taken with the intention she meant. She knew, after all these years being married to Dwight and being in this tight circle of four, that the relationship she and Ross share is unlike most between the spouses of friends.  In many ways, they understood each other more than Dwight or Demelza did. 

“Caroline, I don’t look at you in any way,” Ross argued although not very convincingly.

  He was also going to counter her statement about what he and Demelza had gone through but in truth did not want to know how she knew what had transpired between him and his wife nor the details of those events. Those needed to be put to rest on all fronts.

“Oh come now, Ross. You’re a man.  Of course, you do.  Just as Dwight looks at Demelza, even some of his patients on occasion with a sideways glance.  It’s human nature. That does not mean that it will be acted upon,” she said, finishing her drink and leaning against the railing.

Ross couldn’t dispute what she was saying.  How many times had he given Elizabeth a second look when he thought no one, especially Demelza, was watching?  Of course, that was before other things happened which now makes any thought of a recurrence out of the question.  To his surprise, he had to admit Caroline was also right in her assessment of his feelings towards her and vice versa. These four friends were close, perhaps closer than they should be, so taking liberties, however innocent, could not be denied.

“How do you know me so well, Caroline?” he asked.

“Instinct, Ross.  And observing you for so long. I also know that you like what Demelza looks like tonight.  You just don’t want everyone else thinking about her the way you are right now,” she said.

“You’re right.  I don’t want anyone staring at Demelza. Except me.”

“Then tell her that.  And stop making her feel like she’s done something wrong or will embarrass you.  Treat her the way you would treat me if we weren’t married.”

With that Caroline gave Ross a kiss on the lips, and went off to find her husband and Demelza.  Ross strode to catch up with her as they ran into Dwight and his wife.  Caroline took Dwight’s arm, guiding him towards the ball.

“Let’s go in before we miss any more of this night. It would be a shame for Demelza’s dress to be wasted on us. Right Ross?” she said brightly.

Ross walked up to his wife and took her hands in his, raising them to his lips and kissed them.

“Yes it would,” he said, kissing her cheek next.  He moved his mouth to her ear and whispered. “You are breathtaking, my love.  Come, let me show you off to London society before I have a mind to strip that dress off and have you right here.”

Demelza pulled away to look at his face. The trepidation she saw early was replaced with something else. She saw the man she married, who taught her about love in all forms.  Linking her arm with his, the Poldarks joined the Enys’. As they stepped down into the room, Demelza turned to her husband.

 “Well then, perhaps this night won’t go on too long and you can make good on that promise,” she teased.

“You have my word.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for continuing to indulge me in my obsession. I haven't forgotten the other stories. Updates will be coming.


End file.
